 Information Modeling with Rational Data Architect Version 7
Database and Information design is a very important, yet commonly overlooked part of the system development lifecycle. By establishing and employing standards in design and using proven design methodologies, organizations can create highly reusable models that satisfy business requirements. Rational Data Architect is an information modeling tool that can be used to facilitate communication and understanding between business and IT associates in an organization. Leveraging Rational Data Architect and the modeling best practices from this paper can help organizations experience benefits, such as:
- Improving efficiency of IT organization members:
- Business analyst
- Data modeler or data architect
- Database administrator
- Data governance steward
- Providing a structured, standardized form of communication between business and IT departments
- Leveraging and reusing existing investments
- Reducing data duplication
- Improving the documentation of systems
- Streamlining the standardization processes by employing naming and domain standards
- Reducing of syntax errors
- Providing foresight—the ability to model the future before implementing it
Data modeling is a very interesting skill because there are always different ways to model the same requirements, and each method will often have its own advantages and disadvantages. While it is difficult to say that one way of creating a model is better than another way, there are some basic rules that can lead to flexible models that can accommodate future requirements.
The document shares insights gained from the experiences of a team of data modelers using Rational Data Architect within IBM.
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